Pre-Design Services

Some of the services that we offer include: Site Analysis and Code Analysis

Site Selection and Site Analysis:

Choosing a site for your new project…whether it be your custom dream home, an new industrial or business location…can be a daunting task. Many factors should be considered before deciding on the purchase of a site, or adding a project to an existing site. We encourage prospective Clients to consider engaging our office to analyze a property in terms of some basic factors, prior to purchasing the property. Sometimes an analysis of more than one site for comparison can be worthwhile.

Site Analysis: should include evaluating such factors as…

Location: Near needed services such as Medical Facilities, or Away from the city, in the woods, etc.
Views: Expansive, Long- or Short-Range, Neighborhood.
Respect for and Protection of Natural Features and Resources
Access: Good roads, near the Interstate – or not; low snow impacts in Winter… or, in snow country…. your choice.
Access for Fire-Fighting vehicles and personnel. Sites with steeper slopes are required to have greater horizontal distances from combustible materials, for instance.
Fire Resistance: includes distances for site clearing, use of fire-resistant building materials.
Site Exposure to Weather, on-site drainage, distance to neighbors.
Slope: While the great views are what you want, consideration needs to be given to how the project would be designed to adapt the new structure to a steep slope, for instance. We’ve seen Clients “bury” significant amounts of money underground because the slope requires the construction of expensive retaining walls. While we can design to minimize the need for retaining walls, sometimes opting for a more level site can reduce construction costs significantly.
Zoning: Zoning (or land use) regulations create limits on uses, densities, setbacks, solar access and building height.
Setbacks: Usually defined as a distance (in feet) from other property lines at the Front, Rear and Sides of the site.
Easements: perhaps a sewer easement or water district easement crosses the property and it prevents construction over the easement. An easement can affect the net area of the site that remains for locating apartment buildings, and could reduce the number of units that could be built on a particular parcel.
Solar Access: Some jurisdictions have regulations that limit location of height of structures so that the solar access of neighboring properties is preserved. We can create a simple/schematic 3-Dimensional model of a proposed structure on its site so that we can determine compliance with local solar access regulations.

Part of our analysis includes the creation of what we call a three-dimensional Building Envelope, which is comprised of horizontal distance setbacks from property lines, height limitations, easement locations.

Will the proposed building actually fit on the site? Sometimes the combination of setbacks and fire separations can create a situation where “squeezing” a building on a site can mean increased construction costs due to the need for increased fire-resistant construction (“fire walls”).

Code Analysis – An Essential Part of Every Project:

So, you're a proud new business owner and you found the perfect space for it. Congratulations! This is a giant step towards your entrepreneurial dream come true, but you just learned about a new hurdle... and this is based on real Client / Tenant experiences.

You signed the Lease for the Tenant Space, made a To Do List of all the tasks necessary so you can be ready to do business ASAP, and….

You went down to the City to secure your Business License, the City staff passed your application around to the various departments for review and approval, and, out of nowhere….Surprise!...the City Building Department told you that you need to have a Code Analysis done by a licensed Architect before you can start remodeling your new space….

Most likely, the reason they gave you is that your type of business, or its functions, will be creating what’s known as a Change of Use for the space.

You’re wondering just what that means, and now you have a new and worrying task to add to your To Do List…and an unexpected expense.

We are here to help your new location be successful.

What is a Code Analysis?

Here’s a simple explanation of a Code Analysis: a licensed Architect will need to evaluate your space for compliance with the applicable building code(s). In our area, the applicable building code is the current adopted edition of the OSSC (Oregon Structural Specialty Code). Other codes that apply are listed on the City or County Building Department’s website.

The starting point is the floor area of each room and the overall space. As a consequence, in order to perform the Code Analysis, we / your Architect will need to begin by creating floor plans of the space. These are often called “as-builts” or “record drawings.”

We may also need to create a simple site plan showing distances from property lines, number and the arrangement of parking spaces, as well as Accessible parking spaces for the disabled.

It’s great if there are some existing drawings to start with….or, better yet, some existing CAD drawings. However, we usually find that there aren’t any existing drawings, so, we need to visit the space, take measurements and draw up floor plans to use for our analysis.

Once we have drawings to work with, we can begin our analysis.

Code requirements are listed in a Table, and are generally based on the specific Occupancy Classification or Function of the Space.

Functions could be: Mercantile, Assembly (a restaurant for example), Business Areas (Offices), Residential (Multi-Family or Single Family), Warehouse, and others.
Individual projects often contain different types of Occupancy, or could be what’s called a Mixed Occupancy.

The Code assigns what’s known as a specific Occupant Load Factor – OLF – (in square feet per occupant) for each Function.

Determination of Occupant Load is carried out by simply dividing the floor area of a space by the OLF of its Function.

Once the Occupant Load has been determined, we can create an Egress Floor Plan, and then determine requirements for things like construction type, the number of exits, plumbing fixtures, travel distances and routes to exits, fire resistance of walls between functions / spaces or near property lines.

We have provided these services for a number of local businesses, and we look forward to working with you on the path to your own success in your new location!